A Midnight Dreary - Volume 5 of The DeChance Chronicles

A Midnight Dreary Sample Chapter

Chapter One

The sun had dipped beyond the trees, and as the light faded, the world fell to shadow in stages. On the porch of the old plantation home, Donovan DeChance sat, his boots propped up on the wooden railing, and a glass of wine in his hand. His long, dark hair swept back over his shoulders, and where his eyes caught the last embers of sunlight, they glittered like violet gems.

Across a small table from him, leaning forward and staring into the night sky intently, sat Geoffrey Bullfinch. The older man's posture was expectant, as if he felt something in the bright, crisp North Carolina air that spoke to him of adventure, or ancient secrets. Bullfinch, as usual, looked as if he were dressed for some adventure in darkest Africa, or ready to join a caravan. His hair was slightly gray, and his beard grizzled. It was very difficult to place his age, but his eyes gave the impression of years, and wisdom

There was a rustle of cloth, a soft flutter, and Amethyst joined them, with Asmodeus, the ancient Egyptian raven who traveled in the form of a crow, perched lightly on her shoulder. Next came Cleo, an Egyptian Mau, a beautiful spotted cat about two sizes larger than her breed was known to grow, winding in and out around her feet.

Amethyst was a tall woman with bright red hair and eyes like blue chips of ice. Her hair was entwined with strands of crystal. Brooches and talismans dangled from chains and cords about her neck.

"It's strange," Bullfinch said.

"What could possibly be strange to you?" Donovan chuckled. "And believe me when I say that I'm not at all certain I want to know the answer."

"Just this," Bullfinch said, waving his hand at the porch, the table, and the night. "Sitting here, drinking, and talking-with nothing trying to kill us. Despite having lived a staggering number of years, I can count moments like this on the fingers of one hand. It feels like taking a side-step through time."

"You have to take a moment now and then," Donovan said, "to remember why life is important, or you'll stop caring about it."

Amethyst stepped up behind him on the porch and laid her hands on his shoulders.

"If you ever start to feel detached," she said, "give me a call. I'll remind you what you have to live for."

They all fell silent a moment, and then, with a thump, Asmodeus dropped to the table. Donovan barely caught his tipping wine glass and Bullfinch pulled back, startled. As the bird regarded them with bleary eyes, they laughed.

The old crow turned in a slow circle and stopped, staring directly at Donovan. Just for a second, its features wavered. Donovan started to open his mouth to speak, but Asmodeus beat him to it.

It opened its beak and said a single word.

"Nevermore."

Then, without another glance at any of them, Asmodeus leaped up, flapped his wings mightily, and swooped out from under the porch roof and into the night sky. The snap of his wings sounded like a gunshot, and the wind of his passing seemed to suck the air from their lungs.

"Well," Amethyst said. "That just happened, but what exactly was that?"

"I'm not sure," Donovan said. "You know, Rebecca Yorke told me I would need to learn Egyptian. I'm sure Asmodeus would say more if I could understand him. I have an idea what he's on about though-"

"Spill it, man," Bullfinch said, leaning back, a bright twinkle in his eye. He glanced over at Asmodeus dubiously. "If need be, I could try and translate, but my Egyptian is a little sketchy."